Lucion Pushparaj

Lucion Anton Pushparaj, also spelled Lucian Pushparaj and nicknamed the Black Lion of Asia, is a Sri Lankan male IFBB professional bodybuilder, born on September 10, 1982 in Ja-Ela. He was an all-island level athlete at school in athletics, volleyball and cricket, became a fitness instructor, and took up professional bodybuilding, receiving his IFBB pro status in 2012 while paying for his own training and travel. He won gold at the 2014 Mr. Sri Lanka contest and silver at the 48th Asian Championship that year, was named Mr. Asia at the 51st Asian Bodybuilding and Physiques Sports Festival in South Korea in 2017, and on 16 December 2018 became the first Sri Lankan to win a WBPF World Championship, in the over 100 kg category in Bangkok, where he was crowned Mr. Universe. He was also the first Sri Lankan bodybuilder to enter the IFBB Pro Arnold Classic Amateur. He has publicly clashed with the national bodybuilding federation over his criticism of the IFBB Elite Pro.